Spatchcocking
Intermediate Meat and fish
Spatchcocking is cutting out the backbone and flattening a chicken or turkey (butterflying, for meat, means slicing it open like a book).
Written with AI help from the sources listed, and published by Cory. Sources: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures, USDA on the danger zone (40-140°F). Spot a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.
How do you do it?
- Breast side down, cut along both sides of the backbone with sturdy kitchen shears and remove it.
- Flip it over and press hard on the breastbone to flatten.
Why does it work?
Flat means even thickness: it cooks faster and more evenly, and all the skin crisps.
What are the common mistakes?
- Dull scissors — use poultry shears.
Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.
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